Amazing: How at the age of just 8 Elvis Kushwaha of Etawah has emerged as young green crusader
Etawah: People have not forgotten the Chipko movement launched in Uttarakhand to save trees from being cut down, and similarly, a young environmentalist from Etawah in Uttar Pradesh, Elvis Kushwaha, has started a campaign to plant trees, which is being widely appreciated.
Elvis has so far distributed at least 600 trees
The special thing is that during the Corona pandemic, when people were scared and apprehensive, Elvis was busy promoting the importance of planting trees and also inspired his friends to do the same. Elvis Kushwaha, a Class-3 student in Etawah, has so far distributed at least 600 guava, jamun, amla, mango, and Christmas trees to people. The little school student, who is working to raise awareness about planting trees, is only eight years old.
Etawah District Forest Officer hails Elvis
Impressed by the young environmentalist's campaign of distributing trees, Etawah District Forest Officer Vikas Nayak is very pleased and has started the process of connecting him with the Forest Department's plantation program.
Received the inspiration from his maternal grandfather and mother
The little environmentalist has received the inspiration for all this from his maternal grandfather and mother. At an age when people waste time playing with mobile phones and other games, innocent Elvis is seen going among people, distributing trees, and making them aware of the environment.
Elvis Kushwaha, was born on September 1, 2017, in Ajitnagar, Etawah. His father Umesh is posted as an Amin in the Agra Irrigation Department. Elvis's mother, Pooja Kushwaha, is originally from Jhansi district, and she has contributed to making her only son Elvis active in environmental protection.
However, the biggest contribution in making Elvis a true environmentalist is considered to be that of his maternal grandfather, Ramesh Kushwaha, who first gave him four trees of oleander, coconut, and hibiscus to plant at his house in Ajitnagar. Elvis started using the flowers from these trees in the worship of Lord Shiva.
Elvis decided to become an environmental guardian during pandemic
His maternal grandfather, Ramesh Kushwaha, who sowed the seeds of environmental love in Elvis, is himself a great environmentalist. He has planted a large number of trees at his home in Jhansi. Ramesh Kushwaha is posted as a junior engineer in the Power Corporation in Muzaffarnagar, Western Uttar Pradesh. In 2019, during the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, Elvis decided to become an environmental guardian.
He buys saplings instead of buying toys
Elvis's mother, Pooja Kushwaha, says that Elvis has a piggy bank at home where he saves the money he receives. On his birthday, instead of buying toys with the money, he buys saplings and distributes them to his friends, encouraging them to plant trees. He does this not only on his birthday but also on June 5th, World Environment Day. He has also shown great interest in the tree-planting campaign launched by the central government, "One Tree in the Name of Mother."
Presented a sapling to the school principal when in UKG
Pooja says that when he was admitted to UKG at Delhi Public School in Etawah on July 4, 2022, he presented a sapling to the school principal, Bhavna Singh. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when children were staying away from playing outdoors, her son was busy motivating his fellow children to plant trees. His campaign, which started during the COVID-19 period, continues uninterrupted.
Elvis has presented saplings to prominent people
Elvis has presented saplings to prominent people, including Abhishek Yadav, the first citizen of Etawah and District Panchayat President, BJP MLA Mrs. Sarita Bhadauria, Kailash Yadav, President of Pan Kunwar International School, and many other renowned personalities, including famous badminton player Saina Nehwal.
Trees bring numerous benefits: Elvis
The young environmental guardian, Elvis Yadav, says that given the way the environment is constantly deteriorating, planting trees is the only way to rectify the situation. Planting more and more trees will not only provide us with oxygen but also bring numerous other benefits that are desperately needed today. His mother, Pooja, has shown him the way to be environmentally conscious, and he is following it.
The District Forest Officer of Etawah, Vikas Nayak, called the young environmental guardian to his office and met with him and his mother. Development officer Vikas Nayak highly praised Elvis's environmental awareness, saying that it is truly remarkable that a child so young is so conscious of the environment.Plans are being made to involve Elvis in tree plantation schemes associated with the forest department.
On June 5, 2025, Elvis planted a tree at the airport being constructed in Datia, Madhya Pradesh, and after offering prayers at the Tirupati temple in Andhra Pradesh, he distributed basil saplings to the people there. Elvis has also been honored several times for his environmental contributions at the Environmental Student Parliament held during the Etawah Festival.